Rivalries are not limited to the football field, and Tomball and Tomball Memorial volleyball proved that last week.

In the two Tomball ISD high schools' first district meeting as 22-5A co-members, the Tomball Lady Cougars outlasted the Tomball Memorial Lady Wildcats 25-23, 25-18, 18-25, 24-26, 16-14 last week at Tomball High School.

The marathon match also closed the first round of district play for both teams, and the Lady Cougars and Wildcats are among the top four and appear to be in good position for an eventual playoff berth.

"We're working hard and trying to improve in every match," Tomball coach Cheri Wallace said.

The Lady Cougars suffered only one loss during the first round of district play (21-25, 25-16, 25-20, 25-23 to Stratford), and they continue the second half of 22-4A action at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5 at Northbrook.

Other key dates are Oct. 19 (home with Stratford) and Oct. 23 (at Tomball Memorial), and those matches close the district schedule prior to the playoffs opening Oct. 29-30.

"Being in a new district makes us work even harder to prepare for teams we have not really seen or played against in the past," Wallace said.

Along with Tomball, Tomball Memorial, Stratford, Northbrook and Willowridge, 22-4A also features Spring Woods, Fort Bend Marshall and Ridge Point.

Tomball Memorial was a Class 3A playoff qualifier in its first varsity season playing with only freshmen and sophomore in 2011, and this year, without a senior class, the Lady Wildcats are looking for a second postseason berth in two years under the direction of coach Morgan Rogers.

Junior Amanda Coursey's 23 kills was a team high against Tomball, which got 18 kills from Meyer.

"We looked at Tomball and Stratford as two of the top teams in our district, and we were able to split with them in the first round," Rogers said. "We'll be looking for more wins throughout the second half, especially against the teams that we lost to the first time around."

The Lady Wildcats were also edged in five games by Ridge Point during a 5-2 first-round showing.